GROWING UP IN CAROLINA, Puerto Rico, Roberto Clemente loved to play baseball. He swung a tree branch—since he didn’t have a bat—and hit tin cans. At the age of 19, his passion for the sport paid off when he was tapped for a Major League team. First stop: chilly Montreal, where he warmed the bench and himself, longing to play baseball. Months later, he finally got his chance with the Pittsburgh Pirates where his talent on the field was soon on display. Many fans loved his bold playing style, but not everyone was quick to embrace a Black man from Puerto Rico who spoke español. A man who demanded to be called Roberto, not Bob.
MLB.com journalist Nathalie Alonso shows the emotional highs and lows of Roberto Clemente’s career as he fought racism—from fans, reporters, and other figures in the sport—to become one of the greatest baseball players of all time.
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